


Honey and Whiskey

by RuvikKin



Series: Red Dead A/B/O Universe [7]
Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Arthur is given the talk by hosea and dutch, Backstory, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Mentions of Mary Gillis, Pregnancy, Shes for another story tho, Theres charthur at the end, Trying to put together a timeline lmao, but nothing graphic, it doesnt go over well, slight NSFW at points
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-23 02:13:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23004094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RuvikKin/pseuds/RuvikKin
Summary: It wasn’t too much longer when he was in town, sipping at a whiskey with some stew sat in front of him while Dutch and Hosea were off robbing- or whatever it was they did when he wasn’t around when Hosea was visiting now that he was mostly with Bessie- and Arthur found himself an alpha that smelled right. Young, pretty gal, not much younger than him of course but still. She cocked her hips, waved at him, and he waved right back.Eliza.
Relationships: Eliza/Arthur Morgan
Series: Red Dead A/B/O Universe [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1537531
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	Honey and Whiskey

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to try and work out the timeline here so its like, close to canon but not entirely. This was a little difficult to put together but I hope its alright!

Arthur was young, and he was a fool, but one thing he tried to not be was stupid. Dutch and Hosea were good to him, teaching him to keep his head on straight- especially after he presented as an Omega. Dutch was quick to jump on teaching him more self defense, he’d told him “Alphas aren’t stupid, they know when to back off, usually, but if you’ve ever got a problem with one of them you gotta learn their weak points.” Then of course, Hosea and Dutch had to give him an uncomfortably awkward talk- with a book that Hosea picked up in town that had pictures in it of course. Arthur scrunched up his nose at it. Knots, heats, ruts, pregnancy.

“Wish I was a damn alpha instead. You mean to tell me I’m gonna be- well- ah hell, you know- for the rest of my life?” Dutch laughed, pat him on the back.

“No son, no you won’t. Eventually we all reach a time when we stop. But it’ll feel like forever until you reach then.” Arthur scowled, crossed his arms over his chest and tried to make himself small.

“Knots look huge... What the hells up with that? Big as a baseball! I ain’t letting nothing that big in me!” Arthur motioned to the diagram from the book Hosea had bought, disgust on his face. “Dutch you can’t be serious.”

“I surely am son. Its not all that bad, trust me, when you’ve got your own alpha with you it won’t be bad at all.” Arthur scrunched his nose up, didn’t miss the smile on Dutchs face and the way his eyes flit over to Hosea quickly before he looked back to Arthur. “Just, whatever you do, don’t go around and be with the first alpha you lay eyes on. You still got another what, year or year and a half, before you even start your heats proper anyway.” Dutch shrugged, grabbing his pipe and tobacco from his pocket. “Then you got another year roughly until your body is even mature enough to handle a knot.” Arthur stuck his tongue out and stood up quickly from where they were all seated, heading to his tent with a blush on his cheeks as he heard Hosea and Dutch laughing behind him.

`

`

Dutch was right, of course as Arthur found out years later when he’d grown up fully. Heats getting strong as he grew older and Dutch explained it was normal, but he knew more of what to expect now. And, just as Dutch had told him years prior, he was right about wanting an alpha. Arthur did his best to avoid taking anyone on heats, preferring to spend them alone and curled up in a blanket with something that Dutch had slipped to him one day and said it’d be good ‘In place of an alpha’. Arthur considered himself lucky that he had Hosea and Dutch to look after him, especially on the rare occasions he tried nesting- another thing he wasn’t a fan of doing. Dutch laughed and told him it was something every omega did, told him it was better when he had a mate with familiar scents he could be around.

He tried to avoid alphas for a few years, found a nice beta woman who he wanted to settle with, flirt with her and took her on dates, spent a heat with her here and there.

In the midst of that Dutch rode into town, coming back with a kid on the back of his horse. Scrawny starving, dirty as hell. “This heres John!” Dutch introduced him as he pulled the kid off the back of his horse, brushing him off with his hands. John stayed quiet, into himself even when Arthur walked over. “Arthur do you want to grab him something to eat?”

“Sure Dutch, but where the hell did you find-”

“That doesn’t matter.” Dutch cut off his sentence, his eyes saying they’d discuss it later. “Just get the boy something to eat.” Arthur went through their provisions to grab something for John, glancing over to Hosea as they both shared the same look of wondering what was going through Dutch’s head.   
John was 12 and set to hang for picking a pocket.

Things went fine, until the betas daddy found out 'No child of mine gonna bond an omega man! Those men are unnatural! What you need is an alpha! You hear me? Omega men are weak, disgusting!' Arthur took the beating that her daddy gave him, slunk back to camp and drunk himself half to death until Dutch pulled him out. Years spent with her, preparing to get bonded and spend their lives together, taken away by her drunk shit head of a father in the blink of an eye.

It wasn’t too much longer when he was in town, sipping at a whiskey with some stew sat in front of him while Dutch and Hosea were off robbing- or whatever it was they did when he wasn’t around when Hosea was visiting now that he was mostly with Bessie- and Arthur found himself an alpha that smelled  _ right _ . Young, pretty gal, not much younger than him of course but still. She cocked her hips, waved at him, and he waved right back.

_ Eliza. _

Her name was like honey on his tongue, sweet and lovely sounding. His name on her tongue was the same way, and he snuck around with her for a little. Dutch and Hosea knew, didn’t say much beyond telling him to be careful, otherwise they let Arthur go on his way.

He spent a heat with her, tied with her with his fingers tangled in her long hair that was usually up in a neat bun on the back of her head when she was working. Her nails trailed down his chest and feeling over every inch of him as they spent their days together. She always commented how lovely he smelled, how nice he was as they passed cigarettes and whiskey between the two of them when Arthurs heat was subsided for the moment. They cleaned up together, tied together in the bath at her house with Arthur's fingers gently rubbing soap into her scalp and hair while she gently rocked her hips against his.

Perfect. In every sense of the word

Breaking from her hurt Arthur a little, some twinge of wanting to stay by her side coupled with the fact that he was still coming down from the heat completely. Sated, not needing her anymore, it was a mutual understanding even as he scooped her into his arms and kissed her all over, promised he'd be by again sometime before he thanked her, and head back to Dutch and Hosea.

He went back to the gang perfectly fine, surprised when he rolled into camp and saw Dutch with a woman on his lap- an alpha. Dutch quickly introduced her as Susan Grimshaw, and Arthur put together that this was his current Hosea replacement since the man was nowhere to be found. Arthur welcomed her of course, and went about his business without thinking much of it, scribbling away in his journal about Eliza of course.

`

`

`

Bessie died a few months later.

Happened fast, Dutch could tell something was wrong and they head out to find Hosea. Susan came along since she’d met Hosea and Bessie a couple times. Hosea bumped into them on the way, his eyes wild and frantic as he rushed them all to his and Bessies little house they were living in. Bessie had a fever, a horrible one and even Arthur could see she wasn’t going to make it much longer. As Dutch comforted Hosea while the man stayed by Bessies side, Arthur and Susan decided it was best to stay in another room.

They stayed with her for three days, someone watching over her and talking with her- and she stayed cheerful until the very end. Hosea was with her, holding her hand when she slipped away. Arthur watched Hosea crumble, watched the man he'd never seen shed a tear before, begin to weep. The sight hurt Arthur, twisted his stomach and he had to rush out of the room and out the front door before he vomit off the edge of the porch. Susan was by his side in a moment, gently rubbing his back and telling him it was a normal reaction.

Arthur had seen dead bodies before, but he'd never been sick from one. He guessed it was different when it was someone you knew. A glass of water later, and some spitting over the edge of the porch, and Arthur was back by Hosea to comfort him.

The funeral took place on a bright and sunny day, Bessies family coming in to mourn her along with Hosea. Dutch went to the funeral with Hosea, Arthur stayed back with Susan as his stomach still flipped.

`

`

`

"I can't be. Impossible. You gotta be shittin me." Arthur faced the beta do to he'd gone to see when his stomach problems hadn't subsided as quick as he wanted. "Pregnant? You checked twice?" 

"Our tests are accurate, mister. You have all the symptoms and look-" The doctor carefully pointed to Arthur's stomach, making Arthur grimace. "You are showing. Slightly. With how much you've been sick as you said you should be thin as a rail, and yet you look… Well not completely healthy, but none the less you look rather fine." The doctor smiled, grabbed a paper and wrote something on it before handing it to Arthur. "This is of course my card, you know where I am but if you need anything do pop by. Congrats to you."

"What if I don't want it?" Arthur hadn't meant for the question to come out so quickly but it did and even he cringed at it. "Well, what I mean is it was… It was a one time thing, the alpha she… Shit."

"I suggest you have that conversation with your alpha not with me. I'll pretend for your sake I didn't hear you say that." Arthur nodded, waving to the doctor before he left with the paper stuffed into his pocket. It felt like ten pounds had been dropped onto each of his shoulders, making him slump over most of the way home.

`

`

`

His morning sickness, as the doctor called it, had gone away in a week. Dutch was glad to have Arthur back on his feet, and Hosea- for all he could muster in his drunken state- seemed about the same. Hosea had been drinking since the funeral, moping about and not doing much else. Dutch didn't blame him, instead of bothering him he turned to Arthur and began bringing the man along with some robberies. Little things for now, nothing too big. It was all well and good, other than the racing mind Arthur had about the sudden realization he would be having a child.

He'd have to tell Eliza sooner or later. Maybe not at all. Dutch, Hosea and Susan would learn, and he was surprised none of them had brought up a shift in his scent like he'd seen before. Arthur thought they were all too busy to take notice of him, working with Hosea to get him back on his feet after Bessies death.

`

`

He was able to keep it hidden for a good while, about a month after he'd found out was when the rest of the gang found out. They were out in town, he and the others--Hosea there but only to get him out and about again-, when Arthur collapsed. Fell over dizzy as could be with his head swimming. Dutch acted fast, scooped the boy up and they all rushed to a doctor. The doctor. The one that had given Arthur the news in the first place, which made Arthurs heart drop.

Of course, as soon as he saw Arthur he brought it up and Arthur felt himself shrink into the seat he’d been set on.

"How long have you known?" 

"Why didn't you tell us?" 

"It was with that girl huh? The one you were sneaking around with? Does she know?" 

"I thought it was fishy that you didn't get a heat lately."

“Has he been eating healthy? Its no good to not eat when you’re expecting. You said he collapsed? That’d do it.”

Arthurs ears rang and he tried to stand up to leave, only to find Susans hand on his chest, carefully shoving him back into the chair. He could feel all eyes on him as he opened and closed his mouth, looking for the words.   
“We aren’t mad.” Hosea reassured him, placing a- probably rougher than intended- hand on his shoulder. “We’ll get this straightened out alright? Lets go talk to that alpha you were with, alright?” Arthur nodded and they left the doctors, Hosea keeping his hand on Arthur the entire time they walked out. “Where does she live?”   
“Not far from here, but I don’t wanna scare her by coming up with all of you.” Arthur head over to his horse and got onto her back. “Hosea, just you and me?”

“Of course son. Dutch, we’ll catch up with you later.” Hosea got onto the back of his horse, taking off down the dirt road with Arthur ahead of him. “How long have you know about this Arthur?”

“Bout a month. Too much happenin, didn’t want to bring it up.” Hosea nodded as he understood.

They pulled up to Elizas house shortly, Arthur needing to take a few deep breaths to calm down while Hosea hung back, before he knocked on the door. Eliza opened it and grinned, welcoming him with open arms. “Well I wasn’t expecting you back here at all.” She looked back and saw Hosea on his horse. “Who’re you with?”

“Oh, thats uh- thats Hosea.” Arthur motioned for Hosea to talk over. “Can we come in? We gotta talk.” Eliza nodded and stepped out of the way so they could go inside, she made sure to shut and lock the door behind them.

`

`

`

“Arthur is going to be staying with Eliza until he’s delivered.” Hosea reported back to Dutch when he head back to the camp. “He’d like one of us to be there with him, he’ll send a letter when its close to the date.” Hosea grabbed a whiskey from his bag, sitting down by the fire with the other three.

“I’ll go and see him.” Susan piped up. “I’ve helped deliver before, this won’t be much different.”

“That’ll be just fine.” Hosea agreed, grabbing a can of beans to eat for the moment. John sat staring into the fire, a spoon in his mouth that he was chewing on. “You got something on your mind, John?”

“No sir.” John mumbled. “Jus’ watching the fire.”

`

`

`

The months passed fast, with Arthur staying with Eliza for the last four months, sending his letter out a few weeks before he was due. Eliza had been nothing but kind, caring for him and helping him out when he needed, making sure he was fed. He’d been fortunate enough to meet her parents- a beta and an alpha, both women- who came to visit when Eliza wrote to them. They were both thrilled they’d be having a grandchild, even when they found out what Arthur was, simply brushing it off.

Eliza had one rut while Arthur was there, and Arthur helped her through it of course, taking her into his arms. She caressed, kissed his belly, kissed him. In a moment Arthur tilt his head, ran his fingers over his neck and she took to him, bit down on him until blood was drawn and bonded to him. Arthur did the same to her when she finally pulled away, and the two lay tangled together until the next day came. Elizas parents couldn’t contain the excitement when they saw the matching marks on their necks, cooking a great meal for the newly bonded couple that Arthur could barely hold down.

Susan received the letter as promised and arrived at the house a few days after that, running into Elizas parents and greeting them. “Is this your mother, Arthur?” One of them asked when Susan arrived.

“N- no ma’am.” Arthur answered honestly. “My ma passed when I was young, same with my pa. This is Susan Grimshaw, she’s been well… Helpin out with us for awhile.” They let it drop at that and didn’t push the topic anymore. Susan couldn’t help but notice the mark on Arthurs neck, her brows furrowing as she shook her head slightly.

Two weeks after Susans arrival Arthur was in the kitchen, helping Elizas alpha mother peel vegetables when he felt the first signs of cramping, trying to push through it to finish helping until she noticed and called Eliza down. “You take a seat Arthur, you get yourself somewhere comfortable. Let me go and get water.” When Eliza came into the room her mother rushed off outside. Susan and the beta woman had head into town for some supplies a few hours ago, and were due back any minute now.

“How’re you feeling Arthur?” Eliza let Arthur rest with his head in her lap, a smile on her face and her fingers in his hair. “I hope its not too painful for you.”

“Nah. Just a little uncomfortable.” Arthur smiled, grimaced, and took in a deep breath. “You can’t feel it?”

“A little.” Eliza took a few strands of Arthurs hair and began to braid them. “Can’t feel all of it though.” Arthur hummed, closed his eyes and let himself relax into the moment with his hand caressing his stomach. “You’re gonna be just fine Arthur, got all the people you need right here.”

`

`

Isaac Morgan.

Eliza and Arthur named their son, born into the world screaming and kicking already, healthy and beautiful regardless. The couple were exhausted, after getting washed up and taking care of what they needed to, they head to Elizas bedroom where they settled for the remainder of the night. Arthur kept Isaac close to him, cradled against his chest as he rocked the newborn back and forth and hummed to him gentle songs to keep him relaxed.

Susan sent out a letter to Dutch after three days, and another three after that Hosea and Dutch pulled up with John in tow. Arthur gave Dutch and Hosea hugs, while he pat John on top his head with a smile. Dutch was the first to speak up.

“Where is he? Isaac?”

“Down for a nap so keep it low.” Arthur introduced Dutch to Eliza, didn’t miss at all the way Dutch was quick to take her hand and kiss the back of it, pulling his Dutch charm that made Arthur roll his eyes.

Susan hung back with John while Arthur took Hosea and Dutch to where Isaac was lying in his bassinet. Elizas mothers were in the room to watch him, and they both scurried out upon seeing Hosea and Dutch walking in. “Well he’s got your nose Arthur, look at that.” Dutch commented as Arthur carefully pulled the infant out and into his arms.

“How are you feeling?” Hosea asked, and Arthur shrugged. “Well you must be feeling something.”   
“Torn.” Arthur said, moving his head so they had a good look at the mark on Arthurs neck, Dutch making a soft ‘oh’ at seeing it. “I… I wanna come back to the gang with you all. I miss being out and y’all have been nothin but kind to me. But Eliza… We been talkin about me just staying here as a family.” Isaac shifted in Arthurs arms, blinking awake before he started to cry. Arthur shushed him, heading over to a chair and sitting down with him. “The plan was to have the baby here, and then I’d come back but…”

“Arthur, my boy.” Dutch watched Arthur closely, hooking his thumbs in his pockets. “We’ll understand if you don’t come home.”

“I don’t want Isaac growing up in a gang life, Eliza said shes not made for the outlaw life, she’s got her parents too.” Arthur sighed, rubbing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. “She just had a rut, and I helped, and we went and bonded. I shoulda waited, we both knew it was a bad choice when it settled in what we did. Oh god, Hosea, Dutch, what am I supposed to do?”

Hosea knelt down next to Arthurs chair, placing a hand on his knee gently. “You’ll figure it out Arthur.”

“I want to come home. I’m just a bigger fool than I thought.” Arthur hugged Isaac close to him, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his head. “I can’t let them get involved in all my shit.”

`

`

`

Eventually Arthur left, left Isaac in Elizas arms, hugging the both of them as he felt his heart torn. Dutch had sent a letter, said they got into a little trouble in town and they’d need to move camps if Arthur was coming. Eliza promised she’d write and Arthur did the same, kissed both of them again and left.

He arrived back to the little gang they’d made, the five of them so far, as they packed up the little camp they had and moved out.

`

`

`

Eight long years.

Arthur went and saw Eliza and Isaac for eight years. Spent his heats and her ruts together, taught Isaac how to fish and how to shoot a gun, spent long hours and as many days as he could with them before he’d have to head back to his gang, which had also grown.

John had grown up, presented as an alpha and acted like it- Arthur could count on both their hands how many fight John and he would get into, tumbling in the dirt over the last bit of stew in the pot or over who got to go out on a robbery first. Dutch always joked with Hosea they’d had kids they could never really have. The gang grew, slowly but surely it did. Picking up betas and alphas mostly, and Arthur felt happy with the family that was growing.

Arthur was riding out with John when he felt the sharp pain through his chest- something wrong as his neck over the bonding mark throbbed.

He rode hard and he rode fast.

Arthur almost fell off his horse when he felt nothing, only keeping steady enough to make it to Elizas house far too late. Both of them, gone in an instant, and their house robbed of anything.

`

`

`

For the months that followed Arthur stumbled around the camp, drunk, lost. He didn’t go on jobs, stayed behind for most things. One of the newer members, Bill, usually sat with Arthur at a table or by the fire, the two of them passing drinks back and forth, most of which Arthur hated but it was enough to numb himself of the pain. Hosea comforted him in the drink as well, remembering how painful it was when he lost Bessie- and they weren’t even bonded.

He received a letter from Elizas parents, opened it up and read it. Their anger, fury, at Arthur leaving and not being there to protect Eliza and Isaac. Arthur threw the letter into the fire after he finished reading it. As he watched the paper curl into itself as it burned Arthur slugged back another drink, promised to himself he’d never take another alpha. Not again.

  
  


`

`

`

`

`

_ Present Day _

Arthur sat down by the river, his fishing rod in hand while Jack and Eleanor sat and played with some of the flowers nearby, tying them together instead of paying much attention to their rods that were dug into the ground.

“What’re you two over there making?” Arthur called over to them, hearing them giggle before they walked back over to Arthur. “Necklaces?”

“For momma!” Jack answered.

“And papa.” Eleanor spoke quickly. “Mines a little small though.”

“Oh I’m sure they’ll love it.” Arthur smiled, tugging on his rod to reel in a fish that he’d snagged.

“You should make one for Charles!” Jack piped up, grabbing some of the leftover flowers. Arthur sputtered, the rod slipping for a second before he readjust his grip and was able to reel the fish in- unhooked it and put it in his satchel for the time being. “Now that you two are together!”

“Yeah! He’d love it.” Eleanor and Jack started to work on something, not bothering to let Arthur get a word in on his end.

They finished up their business, about to pack up and leave when two Pinkertons showed up and introduced themselves. Arthur stood between them and the kids as they told him to his face that they’d killed Mac. It hurt him, finally to know Mac had died and they’d never see him again, probably couldn’t get his body back to bury him. Arthur packed Eleanor and Jack up onto his horse and head back to camp once the agents left.

They rode into camp, the kids saying a quick thank you to Arthur, handed him their little gift to Charles before they scurried off. Arthur popped by Dutchs tent to tell him of the agents, frustrated him when Dutch said they didn’t need to move yet. Arthur sighed, and head off to see Charles.

“How did the fishing go?” Charles asked, tugging him close to press a kiss to his temple.

“Fine. Ran into some Pinkertons- nothin happened since I was with the kids.” Arthur reached into his satchel, pulling out the little flower necklace the kids had made. “They made this for you.” Charles grinned as Arthur put the flowers around Charles neck. “Perfect size too.” Arthur smiled, kissing Charles quickly. “Flowers suit you.” Arthur rest his head on Charles shoulder, feeling Charles arms wrap around him to hold him tightly.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed it!


End file.
